The New York Liberty locked in their star center Monday, giving her the team's franchise tag.

"We've designated Tina as our core player, she is one of the most dominant players in the WNBA and has been an outstanding leader for our team on and off the court," Liberty coach Katie Smith said.

Whoever buys the Liberty from owner James Dolan will want the centerpiece of the organization on the books for next season. Dolan announced in November that he planned to sell the team, which he's owned since the league began in 1996. Liberty spokesman Vincent Novicki said that the "sale process is ongoing."

Charles, who is from New York, has made it clear she doesn't want to leave her hometown.

There are also talented restricted free agents on the market such as Stefanie Dolson, Kayla McBride, Alyssa Thomas and Odyssey Sims. Their current teams are allowed to match any offer they could get from another club.

Financial constraints tend to limit bidding wars - and thus player movement - in the WNBA. The league knows a more active free agency period could draw increased interest from the casual fan.

Teams can start to negotiate with their own restricted and unrestricted free agents, but deals may not be finalized until Feb. 1.